Willow's Experiment
by monotone
Summary: Willow finds a book, Willow does magic, Willow screws up magic, Xander suffers, Dawn comforts, Spike might know how to fix it, Anya takes charge and Hogwarts gets visitors (WIP) slash
1. Willow's experiment

TITLE: Willow's Experiment  
AUTHOR: monotone , monotonesaga@lycos.com  
RATING: R bordering on NC-17 I think  
SUMMARY: Willow finds a book, Willow does magic, Willow screws up  
magic, Xander suffers, Dawn comforts, Spike might know how to fix  
it.  
DISCLAIMER: Characters are not mine, I just like to play around in  
someone else's sandbox.  
SPOILERS: Story starts sometime after Giles has bought the Magic  
Box and of course we have Dawn, so everything up to the beginning of  
season 5?  
NOTE: Will be slash sometime in the future. Will also be a crossover  
of some sort (I like crossovers). Work in progress as of August 02.  
WEBSITE: http://www.freewebz.com/monotone/  
FF.NET: http://fanfiction.net/profile.php?userid=119672  
  
*****  
  
Part 1 : Willow's Experiment  
  
The book was completely out of place where it lay in a corner in the  
basement. It looked old and when she touched it she knew it was a  
book with magic. How it ended up in Xander's basement was beyond  
her, but she knew she had to study it.  
  
"Xander? Where did you get this book?"  
  
"Huh? What book?"  
  
"This one." She said and handed it over to him when he came over to  
get a better look.  
  
"I have no idea. It looks like a Giles book."  
  
He handed it back her, and she started leafing through it.  
  
"Xander, this book is just amazing. I would love to study it. Do you  
mind if I borrow it?"  
  
"Nah. Just take it Willow. It's probably Giles' book anyway. Give it  
to him when you're finished."  
  
"Sure. So, ready for ice cream?"  
  
"Yep"  
  
****  
  
Tara was curled up in an armchair with a book when Willow burst  
through the door bubbling with excitement.  
  
"Tara, you have to see this book. "  
  
Willow waved the mentioned book in front of Tara before she once  
again started leafing through.  
  
"What kind book is it?"  
  
"Magic, powerful magic. Other than that I'm not quite sure yet, but  
it looks like some kind of recipe book. Potions I think."  
  
"Potions? What kind of potions?"  
  
"All kinds. I can't wait to try it out."  
  
"Honey. I don't think that would be a good idea. Magic is not to be  
played with."  
  
But Tara's quiet words fell for deaf ears, Willow was already going  
through ingredients lists to see if she had any of the items  
mentioned to make a potion. Tara decided to stay close to make sure  
nothing went wrong.  
  
****  
  
After a couple of weeks going through the book Willow was  
disappointed. Almost all of the potions had weird ingredients, which  
she couldn't get. She also had problems with the measurements, but  
she thought she'd figured it out and she determined to at least try  
to make one potion.  
  
It was actually one that sounded like fun. It would make the person  
who drank the potion 10 years younger for 48 hours. Willow had  
decided to test it on Xander, he wouldn't mind being a child again  
for two days. She and Tara would take good care of him she thought  
happily.  
  
There was one little problem though; she hadn't been able to get  
fairy dust, but elf dust. She knew that substitution wasn't always a  
good thing, but fairies and elves were so close that it wouldn't  
matter. Right?  
  
****  
  
Xander was bored. Anya was out town for a week and construction was  
slow. That's why when a very excited Willow burst through the doors  
at the Magic Box calling for him, he was reading a big book with big  
words for Giles.  
  
"Hey Will, what's up?"  
  
"Xander, I've been looking all over for you. You remember the book I  
found?" At his nod she continued her babbling. "It was a magic book  
with potions. It was so amazing to read and you wouldn't believe  
what you can do with the right ingredients. But the ingredients were  
*so* weird and difficult to find, but there was this one potion I  
was able to make, and would you want to test it for me? Please?"  
  
//Uh oh, Willow in magic craze. Not good // Xander swallowed hard  
before asking. "What is it you want me to test? "  
  
"Youth potion. It sounded like fun. It makes you 10 years younger  
for two days. "  
  
Xander started shaking his head.  
  
"Oh please Xander, it'll be fun. You get to be a kid for a couple of  
days."  
  
"Yeah, but I can't be a kid, I'd need someone to look after me. And  
then there's the Xander's-bad-luck-with-Willow's-magic-thing"  
  
"Not a problem. We'd take care of you. And this is an impossible to  
mess up this kind of magic. You just follow a recipe."  
  
"I don't know.. "  
  
"Please Xander. *Please*! We'd take to Disneyland and feed you lots  
and lots of ice cream."  
  
Xander looked decidedly more interested now. //It would be kind of  
fun to be a kid again. A kid with Willow and Tara as "parents". //  
It definitely had possibilities.  
  
"You'd take me to Disneyland?"  
  
"Yes! I promise."  
  
"OK then. Bring it on."  
  
"Thank you Xander!" Willow squealed happily before giving him a hug.  
"You're a good best friend."  
  
Xander just smiled.  
  
Willow let go of Xander and went into serious mode. "This is what'll  
happen, you just drink this", she held up a bottle with a greyish  
liquid, "And then you'll feel some discomfort as your body  
transforms to 9 year old. OK?"  
  
"OK. Bottoms up."  
  
Xander took the bottle and drained it in one swallow, grimacing at  
the taste.  
  
"Damn, Willow. That was vile, you sure ... "  
  
He didn't get any longer before agonising pain spread out his entire  
body and he started to scream. His blood felt like ice running  
through his veins and bones and muscles felt like they were on fire.  
He fell to the floor screaming and writhing in pain.  
  
Willow stared wide-eyed on her friend in pain. This was not supposed  
to happen. What was wrong? The screams brought Giles and Buffy  
running out from the back room, both ready to kill whatever was  
hurting Xander. The problem was that just as they reached Willow,  
the screams had stopped and Xander was nowhere in sight.  
  
"Willow! What happened? Where's Xander? Willow!" Buffy's voice was  
trembling with fear. Where was Xander, why did he scream like that?  
  
Willow didn't answer, she just stood there, wide-eyed watching a  
spot on the floor.  
  
"Willow!" Buffy tried again.  
  
"Giles, why isn't she answering?"  
  
"I have no idea." Giles said as he stepped up to Willow, grabbing  
her by the shoulders to shake a response out of the shocked girl.  
  
"Willow, Willow. Please answer! Where is Xander?"  
  
Willow still didn't answer, but she pointed a shaky finger to a pile  
of clothes on the floor.  
  
"Willow." Buffy said in her most exasperated voice. "That's *not*  
Xander, it's a pile of Xander *clothes*."  
  
But Willow just continued staring and pointing at the pile of  
clothes so Buffy and Giles stared with her. They were both starting  
to lose their patience when the pile of clothes moved. Buffy jumped,  
startled and Giles gasped. Willow just stared.  
  
"It moved, why did it move? Clothes aren't supposed to do that."  
  
"Yes Buffy, I'm aware of the fact that clothes don't move on their  
own, and I have *no* idea why those clothes moved."  
  
The pile of clothes moved again. And again. Then it started to cry.  
None of the three persons watching the pile of clothes moved. Buffy  
and Giles had joined Willow in her shock; they just stared at the  
pile wide-eyed. Faintly they heard the bell signaling someone coming  
in the door, but the sound didn't register with any of them because  
of the crying pile of clothes.  
  
When Tara entered the Magic Box, she knew Willow's experiment had  
gone wrong somehow. Willow, Buffy and Giles stood still as statues,  
staring wide-eyed and gaping in shock at a pile of clothes on the  
floor. The pile was moving and crying. Tara frowned, it sounded like  
a baby crying. She bent down to rummage around in the pile of  
clothes and found a very scared baby boy. //Oh Willow, what have you  
done?// she thought as she picked the baby up and cradled him  
carefully in her arms.  
  
The baby, who Tara assumed was Xander, quieted when she started to  
rock him slowly in her arms. The absence of crying seemed to snap  
the three statues out of their shocked haze. Willow looked at the  
baby in Tara's arms, and started a soft, quiet mantra of "I'm so  
sorry", Buffy just looked confused and Giles said "Oh dear.. " and  
started polishing his glasses.  
  
Tara looked at Willow with worry in her eyes, a break-down would be  
a bad idea right now, they needed to find out what went wrong and  
how to fix it. And Xander would need clothes, diapers and food. They  
had no idea how long he was going to stay this way.  
  
"Willow, honey", Tara said softly.  
  
Willow raised her eyes to Tara's in acknowledgment.  
  
"You need to tell Giles and Buffy what you've done. Hopefully Giles  
will know how to fix it. OK?"  
  
Willow nodded dumbly.  
  
"But what about the baby? Who's is it? And where is Xander?" Buffy  
asked impatiently. She was confused and the last she'd heard of  
Xander were screams of pain.  
  
"The baby is Xander, Buffy. " Willow's voice was flat.  
  
"What?!?" came the incredulous reply from Buffy who turned to Tara  
for confirmation.  
  
Tara sighed. Giles was the one to confirm Willow's statement.  
  
"I'm afraid as a result of Willow's experimenting with magic, Xander  
has been turned into a baby. Some sort of youth spell gone wrong I  
assume?"  
  
"Youth potion actually. " Tara shot in. "Willow will explain and  
show you the book. I'll take Xander with me to get baby supplies; I  
think he's hungry. " Xander had started crying again.  
  
Just then the doorbell rang again, and Dawn entered.  
  
"Hey. What's going on? Who's crying?"  
  
Curious Dawn let her eyes sweep over the persons standing there.  
Willow looked like she was going to break down any minute now, Buffy  
seemed confused and had a look of disbelief on her face, Giles was  
polishing his glasses furiously. //Ah.. Something's wrong. Either  
end of the world kind of thing or Willow's played with magic again.  
And who is that crying?// She turned to Tara and saw her rocking a  
baby in her arms.  
  
"Who's this?" Dawn asked as she stepped up to Tara and tried to take  
the crying baby into her arms. Tara let her after instructing Dawn  
to support the head. The baby immediately stopped crying, Dawn  
cradled him closer. //He's *so* cute.//  
  
"Willow claims that it's Xander. Giles says that too." Buffy said,  
still somewhat disbelieving.  
  
"Oh. What did you do Willow?"  
  
"I .. I .. " Willow stuttered. "I made a.. a youth potion, Xa..  
Xander drank it. H..he screamed and then he was a .. a.. a ba..  
baby."  
  
"I take it he wasn't supposed to become a baby?" Dawn asked already  
knowing the answer.  
  
Willow shook her head.  
  
"Ah well.. Giles knows how to fix it right? He'll fix it in no time  
and in the meantime we'll have a completely adorable baby Xander to  
take care." Dawn said confidently.  
  
Giles looked unsure, he'd never experienced anything like this; he  
didn't even know where to start looking for a way to fix it. "I'll  
certainly try my best, Dawn, but to be honest I have no idea where  
to even start. Maybe when I've heard the details from Willow... " He  
trailed off.  
  
Dawn nodded and turned to Tara. "Where you going somewhere when I  
came in?"  
  
"Yes. We need to get baby supplies like diapers, food, clothes."  
  
"I'll go with you." Dawn smiled and picked of one of the Xander-  
clothes and wrapped the baby up in it. She then hooked her arm in  
Tara's elbow dragging the other girl with her out the door.  
  
"Bye, we're taking the baby shopping. Have fun working out a  
solution." She called before closing the door. Tara just followed  
quietly with a small smile on her lips.  
  
***** 


	2. Oi! That's *my* book!

Part 2 : Oi! That's *my* book!  
  
"So.. What do we need and where do we go?" Dawn asked Tara as soon  
as they stepped out of the Magic Box.  
  
Tara thought for a minute before replying.  
  
"Uhmm.. I guess we should just go for the basics right now, you know  
diapers, food and clothes. Hopefully Giles will figure out to fix it  
real soon. If not, we'll just have to go shopping again. As for  
where we go I'm not sure. Let's just find the nearest supermarket,  
they should have what we need for now."  
  
Dawn nodded and glanced down at the now sleepy baby in her arms.  
  
"Let's get the diapers first, and just hope he doesn't pee on me in  
the meantime."  
  
Tara smiled. "Yeah.. "  
  
****  
  
When the two girls and the baby left the shop, Giles stopped  
polishing his glasses, put them back on and looked at the two  
remaining girls. Willow stood looking for the entire world like a  
lost little girl. Buffy had a somewhat confused look on her face and  
had started pacing.  
  
//Right// he thought, //first I'll need to figure out exactly what  
happened.//  
  
"Buffy, Willow, sit!" he ordered. Willow sat. Buffy continued  
pacing. He ignored her; Willow was the one he needed to question  
anyway.  
  
"Right Willow, please tell me what exactly happened, what did you  
do?"  
  
"I... I ... " Willow began, but stopped when she realised she wasn't  
sure what to say. She didn't know what went wrong, it had seemed so  
easy and she'd been so sure of herself she talked Xander in to  
testing the potion. She hadn't meant for him to suffer that kind of  
pain and she most certainly hadn't meant for him to become a tiny  
*baby*. She had done almost exactly what the book said. //The  
*book*! That's it// It was Giles' book, she just had to show him the  
book and the recipe, and Giles would know what to do. She wiped her  
tears with the back of her hand, took a breath and started again.  
  
"Not long before Xander moved out of the basement, I found an old  
book with magic. We assumed it was yours. I took it with me to study  
it before I was to give it back to you. "  
  
At this Willow stopped to find the book in her bag and to give it to  
Giles who glanced at it briefly before gesturing for Willow to  
continue.  
  
"It contains recipes for all kinds of potions. I was *so* excited  
and decided to try and make a potion. Problem was to find the  
ingredients required they were all so weird. It took me some weeks  
to get all the ones needed for the potion I wanted to make and  
another few weeks to decipher the measurements and stuff."  
  
Willow glance up from where she was studying her hands, which were  
twisting, nervously in her lap. Giles had one eyebrow risen and was  
listening intently. Buffy had finally sat down and was doing the  
exact same thing. Willow lowered her eyes to her lap again and went  
on.  
  
"The potion seemed like fun, it would make the drinker ten years  
younger for 48 hours. I followed the recipe carefully and when it  
was finished I convinced Xander to drink it, promising him a trip to  
Disneyland and lots of ice cream. I thought he'd enjoy a chance to  
be nine years old again, to have some of the fun he didn't get to  
have when he really was nine years old. I told him it was perfectly  
safe, that he'd only feel some discomfort as his body transformed. I  
was *so* sure it couldn't go wrong, I didn't mean for him to hurt, I  
didn't mean for him to become a *baby*. "  
  
Willow's voice cracked and tears started streaming down her cheeks.  
  
"I'm so sorry." she whispered and began sobbing.  
  
Buffy looked bewildered at her best friend but as the sobbing  
continued, concern overruled any other emotion she might have had  
and she was out of her chair in a second to comfort Willow. Buffy  
pulled the distraught girl close, hugging her tight, petting her  
hair and whispering reassurances.  
  
"Ssh... It's going to be OK. Giles will figure it out. Ssh.. Don't  
cry we'll need you to help Giles. It's going to be OK. Isn't Giles?"  
  
Giles looked up from the book that he started going through when  
Buffy got up to comfort Willow. He saw the pleading in Buffy's eyes  
and he wanted to be able to promise her the world, but this time he  
doubted there was anything *he* could do. He didn't recognize the  
book as one of his own; it rather looked like a book belonging to a  
wizarding world he'd seen abstract references to earlier in his  
studies but never believed existed. It looked like might have to  
reconsider that belief. He sighed.  
  
"I'll certainly try my very best. Willow need to show me the exact  
potion she made and we'll see if we can find something to reverse  
the effect. And perhaps we will be very lucky and the potion will  
wear itself off in the mentioned 48 hours and Xander will be himself  
again. "  
  
"You think so?" Buffy asked hopefully.  
  
"I honestly don't know Buffy. I doubt it with this being the  
Hellmouth and everything but one can hope. If it doesn't we will  
continue to research and perhaps contact Angel and Wesley..."  
  
The shop door was thrown open and Giles was cut short as a smoking  
blanked barged in. They heard an annoyingly familiar voice mutter  
"bloody sun" as the door was kicked shut and the blanked thrown to  
the floor where small flames were stamped on.  
  
Task accomplished, Spike straightened and let his eyes sweep over  
the room .  
  
"Hello all.. " he drawled as he took in the state of the persons in  
the room. Watcher was busy with a book, Buffy looked as though she  
was comforting the witch who looked distraught. Just then Willow who  
was recovering rapidly from her trip into hysteria looked at the  
vampire with wet green eyes. //Ah.. Looks like new evil has entered  
the town, hopefully violence might be needed.// The prospect of  
violence cheered Spike up and in a cheerful voice he asked:  
  
"So what's the new evil? Would my excellent fighting abilities be  
needed?"  
  
"No Spike, " Buffy said with a sigh. "Go away, we don't need you."  
  
But Spike wasn't listening, he'd gotten a better look at the book  
Giles was reading and he recognized it.  
  
"Oi! That's my book!" He exclaimed as he stepped forward to grab it.  
Giles merely held it out of reach.  
  
"What do you mean it's *your* book?" Giles asked, his discomfort at  
the fact that creature like Spike owned such a fascinating and  
powerful book, clear in his voice.  
  
"What do you mean I mean it's my book? It's *my* book. Give it here!  
"  
  
Spike was getting annoyed, it was *his* book, he wanted it, he'd  
been looking for it, it held great sentimental value for him as well  
as being potentially dangerous for normal mortals. It was his and he  
wanted it damn it!  
  
"Come on Watcher, stealing seems a bit below you don't you think?  
Give it here."  
  
Giles still held the book out reach. He refused to give it to Spike  
just now, they needed the book to find out what went wrong with  
Willow's potion.  
  
"No Spike, you cannot have it just now, we need it. "  
  
With an eyebrow lifted like just Spike could do and with an amount  
of fear and uncertainty in his voice that shocked the other three  
persons in the room Spike asked:  
  
"You lot didn't try anything in there did you?"  
  
"Well actually.. " Willow started nervously but was interrupted by  
someone entering the shop.  
  
Spike recognized the newly arrived by their scent so he knew it was  
Dawn, the blonde witch and that annoying git Xander before he even  
turned around.  
  
"Hey Spike, you'll never guess... "  
  
Dawn was rudely cut short by Spike turning around to look at them.  
As he looked he did a double take to be sure and fell down laughing.  
  
**** 


	3. Explanation of sorts

Part 3 : Explanation of sorts  
  
"Spike please explain this for us." Giles asked wearily when they  
all had settled after the uproar that had been created with the book  
and Spike falling to the floor laughing as soon as he realized  
Xander had been turned into a baby. They were sitting around the  
table, Tara seemed her calm self as usual, and Buffy seemed  
confused, as did Giles. Willow on the other hand looked ashamed;  
just not because this mess apparently was her fault but also for  
standing up and shouting ¢Shut up¢ to everyone when the room had  
exploded in questions in the wake Spike's fit of laughter. Dawn  
took it all in strides and actually given up the baby to Spike who  
was sitting down, carefully cradling Xander.  
  
The sight of a vampire, the Big Bad, so carefully cradling an infant  
and looking happy to do it, was a mindboggling sight for most of the  
occupants in the room.  
  
"Spike?" the watcher tried again when the vampire failed to answer,  
seeming too occupied with staring at the baby in his arms.  
  
"What?" Spike finally responded.  
  
"An explanation if you please. " It was not a question; Giles was at  
the end of his patience with this situation.  
  
"Oh.. Right.. What is it you want to know then? Because what has  
happened seems pretty obvious don't you think watcher?"  
  
Giles rolled his eyes. "Start with the book; what kind of book is  
it, why were you afraid we'd used it and how come *you* own a book  
like that and perhaps you have a theory on what went wrong?"  
  
"Oi!" Spike exclaimed, startling the baby who began to whine a bit,  
the vampire immediately looked apologetic and started a soft rocking  
motion again to get Xander to calm down. When Spike spoke again it  
was in a very low, calm voice. "*I* was *not* afraid!"  
  
"It doesn't matter Spike, " Giles said exasperated, "Please tell  
your tale and hopefully we'll figure out a way to fix this."  
  
Spike snorted. "I doubt any of you would be able to fix this but  
I'll tell you a bit about the book anyway."  
  
"The book is, as Red obviously has figured out, a potions book. A  
powerful wizard and potions master gave it to me about 20 years ago.  
We were close, very close." A dreamy look came upon the vampire's  
face and he seemed lost in memories for a few moments before he  
shook it off and continued.  
  
"The potions are powerful and sometimes quite difficult to get  
right. Precision is very important. I can think of a few things that  
may be the reason Red's experiment went wrong. She doesn't have the  
right kind of magic or she didn't make the potion *exactly* the way  
the book said. Wrong measurements, wrong time intervals, ingredients  
that were substituted. Any of those guaranties a faulty potion."  
  
Baby Xander chose this moment to make some unhappy noises and the  
vampire was alert at once. He got up off his chair, motioned for  
Dawn to follow him and started walking towards the door.  
  
"Dawn and I will take the baby to the whelp's place, Anya is  
probably there and this baby needs to be fed and changed." He said  
over his shoulder before turning to Dawn and asking her if she had  
all the baby things. She nodded and with a ¢Have fun finding out  
what went wrong.¢, Spike and Dawn left the Magic Box with the baby.  
  
Giles, Willow and Buffy sent confused and stunned looks towards the  
door before turning to each other. Tara smiled.  
  
Buffy was the first to speak.  
  
"Did we just leave Xander in Spike's care? Did the Big Bad just  
leave this shop with a baby in his arms with the intentions of  
feeding and changing it?" she asked, obviously having trouble  
wrapping her mind around this astonishing fact.  
  
The other three just nodded, not quite knowing what to say about  
this development.  
  
******  
  
"Shouldn't we have stayed and helped them with research?" Dawn asked  
as they got outside.  
  
"Nah, they'll manage." Spike answered as he tried to wrap the  
blanket even tighter around the baby. The sun had just set and he  
was a bit worried about the baby getting chilled. Humans were so  
fragile, infants even more so.  
  
Dawn smiled at the image of the vampire fretting over a baby, she'd  
known Spike could be very caring so it wasn't really a big surprise,  
just a bit unexpected; after all the baby was Xander and Spike  
wasn't known for his love of the whelp as he often called Xander.  
What really boggled her mind was the obvious contentment the baby  
showed in the vampire's arms. Xander had made it very clear that he  
hated vampires. She thought maybe it was the purring that had  
started every time the baby made some unhappy noises. She didn't  
think anyone else had noticed, you couldn't really hear it, but  
she'd seen the vibrations in Spike's chest.  
  
"You like babies don't ya you big softie?" she asked with obvious  
amusement in her voice.  
  
Spike started to look offended but a glance down at the baby wiped  
that expression off his face.  
  
"Not really, they're such a small mouthful." He said jokingly.  
  
Dawn hit him on the arm. "I didn't means as food you moron."  
  
"I know. No, I don't really like babies but right now the whelp  
reminds me of another baby I met once. Something about the way he  
feels, like he's got magic. The other baby was a wizard; sort of  
Sev's nephew."  
  
"Sev?"  
  
"Yeah, the wizard who gave me the book."  
  
Something in his voice and the way he smiled every time he mentioned  
this wizard made her ask.  
  
"This Sev was special for you huh?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah he was."  
  
They walked towards Xander's apartment in silence; both lost in  
their own thoughts.  
  
"You know," Spike said as they came to the entrance of Xander's  
building. "If the watcher is unable to find a way to fix this, I  
could take the baby and try and find Sev. If anyone can fix this, he  
can."  
  
Dawn nodded. "Good idea, think we should keep that in mind."  
  
They went inside. As they were climbing the stairs Spike thought of  
something.  
  
"Little bit, has anyone told demon girl what happened?"  
  
"Oops…"  
  
"Thought so. Well she's certainly in for a surprise."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
With that they knocked on the door, hoping Anya wouldn't too angry  
at the chain of events.  
  
******  
  
"So Giles, what do we do now?" Buffy asked as soon as they had got  
over their shock of them leaving a baby in Spike's care.  
  
"First we need to find out exactly what Willow did, which means we  
have to go over the recipe with a fine teethed comb."  
  
Giles motioned for Willow to come sit next to him so they could go  
through the recipe together. Willow slowly got up; she looked even  
more ashamed than earlier.  
  
"What is it Willow?"  
  
"I.. I think I know what went wrong." She said hesitantly.  
  
"Well? Tell us."  
  
"You know what Spike said about substituting?" Everyone nodded.  
"Well, I may have substituted fairy dust with elf dust."  
  
"Willow!" Giles was ready to roll his eyes at such an elementary  
mistake.  
  
"I know, I know. One really shouldn't substitute ingredients, but I  
really thought it would be OK, fairies and elves are practically the  
same aren't they?"  
  
This time Giles did roll his eyes, but it was Tara who answered.  
  
"No honey, they aren't the same even though they have similar  
magical qualities when used in spells or potions."  
  
Giles smiled at the blond witch. "Tara is right. If I remember  
correctly, elf dust is more concentrated than fairy dust and that  
should explain why the potion still worked as a youth potion, just  
so much stronger thus making Xander younger than intended."  
  
"But it'll still wear off after 48 hours right?" Buffy asked.  
  
"I honestly do not know Buffy. We can only hope."  
  
"This.. This might be permanent?" Willow's voice sounded small and  
fearful.  
  
Giles sighed and answered sadly. "Not permanent per se, Xander will  
grow up, it's just a question of how fast it'll happen. Or so I  
think."  
  
"Oh God, what have I done?" Tears were once again threatening to  
spill from the red headed witch's eyes. This time it was Tara who  
moved to offer some comfort.  
  
"It'll be OK, Willow. We will find a way to fix this." Buffy said  
confidently and looked at Giles for reassurance.  
  
"We will certainly do our best," he offered.  
  
Buffy nodded, she was sure this would be all right, after all they  
had been in far worse situations than this and managed. The faith  
she had in herself and her group of friends was great.  
  
****  
  
When there was a knock on the door, Anya frowned before she went to  
open it. She wasn't expecting anyone and Xander would have a key.  
Opening the door just slightly so she could peer out to see whom it  
was, she was surprised to see Dawn and Spike. Looking a bit closer  
she actually raised an eyebrow when she saw that the vampire was  
cradling a baby in his arms.  
  
"Dawn, Spike. What are you doing here and who is that?" she asked  
when she'd opened the door properly and stood to face her guests.  
  
"Well.. We're here to tell you that something happened at the Magic  
Box today." Dawn started and was cut off by Anya wanting to know if  
her boyfriend was OK.  
  
Spike did the talking this time. "Red played with magic and the  
whelp got turned into a baby. Here he is." He said not so gracefully  
and handed the baby over to Anya.  
  
Stunned she accepted the baby and then proceeded to sit down on the  
floor right where she stood.  
  
"*What*?"  
  
"Oh yeah, way to go with the sensitivity Spike," Dawn drawled before  
moving to the stunned Anya. Spike just muttered something about  
being a vampire and vampires were not sensitive.  
  
  
*** 


	4. Trip down memory lane

Thanks to the reviewers for feedback.   
  
Sorry I'm such a slow writer.   
And my spellchecker doesn't work properly, please excuse any errors.   
  
  
  
  
  
Part 4 : Trip down memory lane  
  
While Dawn explained to Anya exactly what had happened to Xander,  
Spike took the baby to the bathroom and changed his diaper. He  
didn't think much about why he did it, he'd taken care of a baby  
before and it just felt right. Spike wondered about the magic that  
he could feel radiating from Xander right now. It felt familiar  
somehow, not just because he recognized the whelp as a wizard but  
something else too; he couldn't quite put his finger on it right now  
though.  
  
Anya had felt the magic too; Spike knew that because he'd heard her  
muttering something about Xander not feeling right. That was wrong  
though, Xander felt right now. The boy had always given off some  
vibe that hadn't been right for him; it was like there had been  
something off about him that now had been fixed. It was strange.  
  
Spike smiled as he heard Anya complaining about Willow's failure  
rate with magic. Demon girl had a point, the red headed witch did  
manage to botch up a lot when it came to magic; he figured it had  
something to do with the fact that it was difficult for normal  
humans - so called muggles - to tap into their magic because it was  
hidden so deep within them that appeared to be completely non-  
magical creatures. Most of them were too.  
  
The baby gurgled and Spike remembered that he needed to be fed.  
Taking the baby with him in to the kitchen, the vampire rummaged  
through the baby bag until he found a bottle and some formula. He  
stared blankly at the box for a while wondering how to go about  
making it; house elves had always brought a prepared bottle for him  
when he'd taken care of Sev's nephew. Spike turned the box and found  
instructions. Grateful he warmed water, measured out the powder,  
mixing it and then checking that it wasn't too hot. All through this  
procedure he held the now squirming baby in his arms.  
  
The squirming stopped as soon as he placed the nipple at the baby's  
mouth. Xander started sucking happily.  
  
"You were hungry you, weren't you? Yes you were.." Spike crooned to  
the sucking baby.  
  
When it hit him what he was doing, he was mortified to realise that  
he wasn't disgusted with himself. He really thought he should be;  
here he was - a vampire, the Big Bad - feeding a baby boy he didn't  
particularly like and crooning to him like he was the most precious  
little being in the world. It had to have something to do with the  
fact the boy was apparently a wizard and gave off a vibe that  
reminded Spike so very much of Sev. He pondered on this while Xander  
finished his bottle. When the bottle was empty Spike handed the baby  
over to a much calmer Anya, told her that Xander needed to burp and  
that he was going out. He needed to think. Dawn stayed to help Anya.  
  
Outside Spike lit up a cigarette and started walking towards a  
graveyard; maybe he could find some vampires to hunt since he  
couldn't hunt humans. The thought of hunting brought forth memories  
of how he and Sev had met.  
  
**  
  
London, 1981  
  
Drusilla had gone off on one of her adventures and that left Spike  
with nothing to do. He missed his dark princess, but this as the way  
things went. Every ten years or so she would go off on her own and  
leave him in whatever city they were in at the time. At least they'd  
been in London this time and not some tiny, boring town somewhere in  
the middle of nowhere. This was good because he needed to stay close  
to where Drusilla left him so she could find him again when she felt  
like it.  
  
Right now Spike was stalking through the dark alleys of London;  
hunting. He'd spotted a strange man who radiated power and decided  
this man would make an enjoyable prey. The man was tall, dark and  
was striding confidently through the alleys. He appeared to be  
wearing a very long coat or maybe a robe. Spike's first thought had  
been that the man was a priest of some sort but the one brief look  
he'd had at the man's face disabused him of that thought. This was a  
dark man; the black eyes had glinted in the moon light, promising  
violence to anyone brave enough to approach him.  
  
Well Spike thought himself to be brave (sometimes anyway) and  
hunting this man would be a welcome challenge. The man was probably  
really tasty too if the power radiating off him was any indication.  
Rounding a corner the stranger had just passed, Spike found himself  
grabbed by the throat and shoved roughly back up against a brick  
wall. He was just about to throw his attacker of when he realised it  
was his prey.  
  
"Listen here little vampire, " the dark man hissed, tightening his  
grip around Spike's throat. "I am *not* in the mood to be hunted; I  
am *never* in the mood to be hunted so you just wander off and far  
away from me before *I* do something *you'll* regret."  
  
Spike blinked. This was an unexpected turn of events - unexpected  
and arousing. And wasn't that even more unexpected?  
  
"Well?" The stranger snarled this time and pressed himself even  
closer. Spike, still stuck on the arousing part, found it difficult  
to speak with a strong hand squeezing his throat, let alone form a  
decent answer with a hard body pressed against his, so he did the  
first thing that entered his mind. He tilted his head up and kissed  
the angry man - who obviously hadn't expected that particular action  
as he tensed and in surprise released his iron grip on the vampire's  
throat.  
  
The man didn't respond to Spike's kiss and made as to move away but  
Spike used vampire strength to his advantage and held the man close.  
He wasn't going to give up - he *wanted* this man. His was now  
licking insistently the other man's lips, begging for entrance but  
the man just tensed even more and his lips tightened. Just when  
Spike thought he was losing the battle the man shrugged as if to say  
'to hell with it' and started kissing back - hard. The stranger's  
tongue soon forced Spike's into submission and then bit the  
vampire's bottom lip till it bled. Spike moaned as pain shot through  
him and blood filled his mouth; this was obviously a man after his  
own heart.  
  
"Like that do you little vampire?" was said in a husky voice when  
the man broke for air. "Like it rough don't you? You would love for  
me to take to violently. Hm? To shove my hard cock up your arse and  
make you bleed, make you beg for more?"  
  
Spike shuddered as the words went straight to his cock. "God yes.  
Please."  
  
That infuriating man smirked in triumph and dove in for another  
kiss.  
  
How they went from kissing in a dark alley to having furious sex in  
the abandoned building that served as Spike's home at the moment  
stood as confusing blur in Spike's mind. But who was he to complain  
when he found himself on all fours being pounded into by the sexiest  
man he had met for a long while? It was hard and fast, it was  
violent, it was pain, it was *pure* pleasure.  
  
Afterwards when he lay sprawled out on the mattress that served as a  
bed, he was battered and bruised, but sated and so content he  
actually purred. The warm body next to him stretched and turned to  
his side to watch the nearly asleep vampire better.  
  
"So, do you make a habit out of submitting to your prey and having  
them shag you senseless?" There was amusement in that dark voice  
now.  
  
"First one." Spike mumbled.  
  
"Oh, I do feel honoured." Came the sarcastic reply.  
  
Spike didn't bother responding, sleep was calling him. The man  
realised that chatting wasn't high on his bed mate's to do list  
right now - this actually suited him just fine, he never was one for  
chatting either - so he settled down to sleep.  
  
"I am Severus and I will sleep here tonight just so I can shag you  
senseless in the morning too." He said closing his eyes.  
  
"'M William and I'll hold you to that." Came the sleepy reply.  
Severus was sure he could hear a smirk somewhere in it.  
  
**  
  
Severus made good on his promise to shag Spike senseless the next  
morning. To the vampire's delight Severus decided that he needed a  
vacation and he might just as well spend it in that abandoned  
building with William. They spent a fortnight shagging, talking and  
shagging. Spike only left during the night to have a quick feed;  
Severus only left during the day to find something to eat. They  
found each other quite intriguing  
  
Spike spoke about his days as 'Scourge of Europe', ranted about  
Drusilla and bragged about killing two slayers. He spoke of his  
mortal life filled with poetry, shyness and cruel women.  
  
Severus found himself talking about the wizarding world, about  
Voldemort and his downfall, about the hard life as a spy and the  
anger he felt towards the ministry and their poor attitude against  
him. They'd known that he'd been a spy, still they put him in  
Azkaban and it was only after pressure from Dumbledore that he'd  
been let out.  
  
"That's why I was stalking through the dark alleys of London. I was  
trying to walk off the anger."  
  
Spike nodded in understanding.  
  
They shagged some more.  
  
At the end of two weeks, an owl appeared.  
  
"It's a message from Lucius; my best friend and fellow spy. He says  
things have calmed down and asks when I will return."  
  
Upon realising that Severus would now return to the wizarding world,  
Spike felt as if he'd been offered an especially tasty human only to  
have it taken away from him before he could taste it. He watched as  
the man he'd spent the last weeks with - and what weeks they'd been  
- got dressed. Sullenly he asked. "So you're leaving right now then?  
"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Spike collapsed down at the mattress and closed his eyes. He didn't  
see Severus turn and look at him with a slight frown on his face.  
He'd sort of taken it for granted that the vampire would join him;  
perhaps William had no wish to come with?  
  
"The sun is down so it's perfectly safe. Aren't you coming?"  
  
The vampire's blue eyes shot open and they studied the wizard for  
several long minutes before a grin appeared.  
  
"Of course." Spike said and jumped up to get dressed.  
  
Which was how Spike found himself in the wizarding world, living  
with Severus Snape - Potions master - in the dungeons at Hogwarts  
and playing uncle to Lucius Malfoy's little brat, Draco, whenever he  
and Severus visited Malfoy Manor.  
  
It was in the Hogwarts dungeons that Drusilla found him a year  
later. How exactly she found him was unclear, he'd always figured  
Miss Edith had told her. He knew why she'd come though, she was  
finished with her adventure and wanted to travel with her Childe.  
Her timing was poor; Spike had found he was falling in love with the  
intimidating Potions master and had no desire to leave. But he knew  
he would, his dark princess, his Sire would always come before  
everything else in his life. Severus had been *so* angry, so  
disappointed and they'd had a huge fight about it, but in the end  
the wizard had let his William leave. He knew about vampires and  
understood that the bond between William and his creator was strong;  
she would always come first. They parted on amicable terms.  
  
**  
  
Sunnydale present time  
  
Spike found himself wandering the graveyard aimlessly, wondering if  
Severus ever thought of him. He knew that he himself had fallen in  
love and had thought that the feelings were returned. Perhaps he  
should travel to England and look up Severus even if this thing with  
Xander being a baby were fixed. There was no Drusilla this time;  
she'd left him for good.  
  
Yes, he would do that. There was nothing here in Sunnydale for him  
anyway, chipped as he was. With that thought in mind he turned and  
went back to the whelp's apartment, Anya would hopefully let him  
stay there, after all she had no experience with babies.  
end 4 


	5. Discussions, realisations and good byes

A lot of talking is being done in this part. OOCness will occur. If  
any blaring inconsistencies are found please tell me. :)  
  
I do have a vague idea of where this thing is going. Xander will be  
paired with someone, but it won't be Harry. :) As for Xander being  
aged to 11 and attending Hogwarts; I have that in another story so  
if you want to read that, patience will be required. (I went through  
challenges issued on the xanderslash ML and my brain went into  
overdrive; how I'm going to be able to focus on school when it  
starts is still a mystery to me. *g*)  
  
***  
  
  
Part 5: Discussions, realisations and good byes   
  
"Are they ever going to find a way to fix Xander?"  
  
Even if he was in the bedroom, where he slept on a mattress on the  
floor, he could hear Anya talking in the living room. Not that it  
was hard to hear her, even without vamp hearing, she was talking  
rather loudly. She was angry, he could tell, but there was a trace  
of tears and defeat in that voice. Which was only natural  
considering it had been two weeks now and the slayer's group still  
hadn't found a way to make Xander 19 again.  
  
"I'm *so* sorry Anya, they have been looking and looking, but they  
just can't find a solution. Xander has grown though, the others may  
not have noticed, but I have and I think he's now the equivalent of  
a six months old baby, instead of a new born. I'm sure he'll be  
Xander again in no time at this rate."  
  
Dawn trying her best to be optimistic, to comfort Anya, but there  
was a hint of defeat in her voice too. She had a point though, the  
whelp had aged and if he kept aging at the current rate he would be  
himself again nearly two years from now. Spike could understand  
Anya's frustration; two years was a long time for mortals.  
  
"I know that." Anya snapped, "but by time he is grown up again he  
won't be *my* Xander anymore!"  
  
"Sure he will." Dawn tried.  
  
"No!" Anya adamant. "He's feels different now and I know what it is.  
Something that was wrong before but made him my Xander has been  
righted by this de-aging business and if he grows up with this being  
right he'll be completely different person. Can't you understand  
that?"  
  
Her voice rose till she was shouting and he could hear her fighting  
really hard not to cry.  
  
"Anya.."  
  
The shouting had woken up Xander who had been sleeping in his  
bassinet and he started crying, cutting Dawn's reply off as she  
apparently went to pick him up. There was some murmuring and  
shuffling around, a bottle was probably prepared for the baby.  
Xander quieted down and after a while there was shuffling again and  
Dawn announcing that she would take Xander for a walk. The door  
opened and closed, and there was silence. Anya was still out there,  
he could hear her heartbeat, and it was evening out as if she was  
falling asleep.  
  
Spike thought about her words and remembered the scene he'd come  
upon a couple of days ago. He'd come back to the apartment, where  
Anya had let him stay, after being out helping the slayer (Dawn had  
begged him to go with her sister, Riley had been busy.). It had been  
just an hour before the sun was going to come up and he hadn't been  
surprised to realise that demon girl and the baby was up. The door  
to the bathroom had been open and he'd heard the splashing of water.  
Thinking Anya was giving the whelp a bath he'd gone to door,  
prepared to enter, but stopped when he'd heard Anya's soft  
murmuring. Not giving away himself he'd sneaked a peek and seen Anya  
in the bathtub with Xander in her lap.  
  
"I'm sad Xander." She'd said to the baby gurgling happily at her.  
Spike had been a bit surprised seeing how aware the little baby's  
eyes had seemed. It was like the baby was hanging on to every word  
Anya said.  
  
"I'm sort of happy too." Were the next words out Anya's mouth. "I  
think it's I'm happy for you, not for me. It's strange."  
  
She did indeed sound sad. And very confused. Spike waited for her to  
continue.  
  
"I'm happy for you because you feel right now. Not that you felt  
wrong before, just like something was off. But I guess that was made  
you the Xander your friends and I know. *My* Xander."  
  
There was a smile in her voice now.   
  
"Anyway I think that that off feeling was what all the demons sensed  
and why you appeared to be such a demon magnet. You're a little  
wizard Xander and when you grow up this time I think you'll be  
strong one too. I'm sure you didn't know about yourself, something  
must have happened to you that made you hide your magic and forget  
that you had it. What happened and how you did it, I don't know."  
  
She sighed and laughed softly. When Spike sneaked another peek he  
saw the baby squirming in Anya's arms, he was trying to reach for  
one of the toys in the bath. Getting hold of it he stuffed it into  
his mouth and turned his attention to Anya once again.  
  
"You're a cute baby Xander, I like you like this but I also would  
like my boyfriend back. But I won't get that will I? I have lost  
him. I don't think those friends of yours will find a way to age you  
back right now and that's what it'll take for you to be our, *my*  
Xander again. The aging has to happen in the immediate future or  
else I think you just have to grow up again. If you stay here and  
grow up with your friends, and me we will have a part of you back.  
Just a part because *I* would make sure you didn't hide your magic  
again and you would know what you are and you *would* be different.  
I know that. That's why I'm sad - my Xander, my boyfriend is lost to  
me. As a wizard you don't really belong here with us, in this world.  
You really should grow up among wizards and be trained properly.  
That's why I'm giving your friends another week to see if they can  
find something, which I don't think they will, before I start making  
arrangements to send you off to the wizarding world. Your friends  
won't be happy about it but I don't care about that, in this case I  
know better than them what's best for you. After all I spent over a  
thousand years as a magical creature."  
  
The sound of the baby blowing a raspberry could be heard and Anya  
giggled.  
  
"I think it's time to dry up now, what do you say?" She cooed and  
got a happy noise in reply. There was splashing and shuffling as the  
pair got out of the tub. Anya spoke again as she dried the baby.  
  
"I love you Xander and the thought of having lost you hurts. It  
feels like my heart is being crushed - still I know that when you  
grow up this time I won't be right for you, and you won't be right  
for me either. But everything will be all right - I can *feel* it."  
  
At this point he'd inched away from the door carefully and had to  
admit he was feeling rather sad and mushy after that little speech.  
At the same time excitement had coiled in his stomach; Anya had  
confirmed his belief that Xander was a wizard *and* she had  
indicated that she knew how to get to the wizarding world. He'd  
grinned maniacally to himself as he went to bed - perhaps she'd  
agree to let him tag along when she sent Xander off. Thoughts of  
seeing Sev again had been his last ones before falling asleep.  
  
Again Spike grinned to himself as he thought about that  
night/morning. He hadn't quite gotten around to asking Anya about it  
yet; they'd been busy with the baby and researching. Thinking now  
was as good a time as any; he got up, pulled on his jeans and went  
in to the living room.  
  
"Anya.." He said quietly as he shook her shoulder, trying to wake  
her up. Sleepy and red-rimmed eyes opened and looked questioningly  
at him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Need to talk. About Xander."   
  
"OK." She said and pulling herself into an upright position. "Talk."  
  
"Well you know that business about Xander being a wizard." He  
started hesitantly and continued when she nodded. "I overheard you  
telling him that you wanted to send him the wizarding world if the  
Scoobies didn't find a way to fix him within a week. How exactly  
were you planning on doing that?"  
  
"Why?" she asked suspiciously. He thought it was a weird moment for  
her to become suspicious, after all he'd spent the two last weeks  
helping her and Dawn with a *baby* for crying out loud. He decided  
to just tell her.  
  
"Because I want to go with him." When her eyes widened in confusion  
he added "OK, so not exactly *with* him, just I want to go to the  
wizarding world too. Lived there once and I know someone there. And  
you know the whelp's a baby now, he'll need someone to take him and  
he practically *loves* me:" The last was said in a very smug voice.  
  
"Oh." Was the only sound Anya made. She didn't continue until Spike  
looked at her pointedly, eyebrow quirked in question.  
  
"I still have contact with D'Hoffryn you know. He's promised me my  
powers back if I died or if my heart got broken and if my heart  
isn't broken right now I don't even want to consider how a broken  
heart actually feels because this is *so* painful." Voice broke,  
tears threatened.  
  
Spike could sympathize, he really could but he wasn't a patient  
vampire and he needed her to get to the point right now.  
  
"What does you getting your powers back have to do with anything?"  
  
"You're not very smart are you?" she huffed, ignoring his 'I resent  
that'. "With my powers I have access to alternate dimensions *and*  
magical worlds." She saw realisation dawn in his eyes and continued.  
"Wizards have several methods of transport and for Xander I was  
thinking of a portkey. You know what that is?"  
  
"Object spelled to move you to a specific location." Spike answered  
automatically.  
  
"Exactly. I can, with my powers, make those... I think."  
  
"Excellent! When do we move? I can go right?"  
  
"Yeah sure. After all you're right in saying baby Xander loves you.  
Which is weird because he's always hated you." Anya frowned.  
  
"I know feeling was mutual." Spike muttered. "But now it's strange  
'cause he feels sort of, I don't know, familiar?"  
  
"Huh. Maybe you met one of his parents when you were living there?  
Because I think maybe he was adopted and you know wizard parents and  
child have resembling magical signatures." She watched as something  
seemed to puzzle itself out in Spike's mind and he obviously made a  
startling discovery if the widening of his eyes were any indication.  
She chose to not ask about it.  
  
"I'll go talk the others this afternoon and then we'll see OK?"  
Spike just nodded at her dazedly. She watched him get off the couch  
somewhat unsteadily and walk towards the bedroom. She didn't think  
too much of it, she needed to make plans and Dawn was now entering  
the apartment with Xander.  
  
**  
  
"You really think it's for the best?" Dawn asked quietly after Anya  
had explained what she and Spike had talked about.  
  
"Yes, I'm very sure."   
  
Dawn sighed and looked at the baby lying on a mat on the floor  
playing with a rag doll she'd found among her old toys. She really  
didn't want him to leave, but what Anya had said made sense; it  
would be better for Xander to grow up in a world where he belonged  
and where he would receive proper training.  
  
"I'll miss him." She said and Anya knew Dawn saw that sending Xander  
away would be the best thing to do. The teen-age girl would be great  
help in making Xander's other friends see that this would be for the  
best.  
  
"I'll miss him too."  
  
"Yeah. It won't be easy convincing Buffy and the others about this,  
especially not when Spike's the escort."  
  
"They're just going to have to accept it. Come on." Anya got up and  
dragged Dawn with her out the door. Baby Xander was left with Spike  
- they were going to take a nap.  
  
**  
  
Convincing Buffy, Willow and Giles proved to be difficult, but not  
as difficult as Anya had expected. It probably helped that Dawn did  
the talking. There was shouting and crying. Threats of violence  
entered when Spike was mentioned as escort. Anya telling them that  
if something happened to Xander because of Spike she would  
personally deal with him by giving him a demonstration of why she  
was considered to be an excellent vengeance demon removed the doubts  
about Spike's trustworthiness.  
  
They all agreed that Xander would need training, but still they  
didn't want him go away, couldn't Giles do it? No, he didn't have  
the right knowledge. He'd agreed with Anya on that one.  
  
In the end it was the mention of the possibility that Xander might  
have a parent or two living among the wizards that ended the  
discussion and convinced the close-knit group that this was the  
right thing to do. Satisfied, Anya left them to their crying and  
went to seek out her former boss and have her powers restored.  
  
**  
  
"This is the portkey," Anya explained holding up a lighter. They had  
all gathered in the Magic Box to say good-bye and send Xander and  
Spike on their way. After threats of what torture they would expose  
him to if he didn't take proper care of Xander, Spike had been given  
instructions of staying in contact. They wanted updates regularly.  
  
"When you light it," Anya continued, "It will take you to Diagon  
Alley. There you'll find Ollivander's wand shop. Tell him Anyanka  
sent you and he will let you use his floo so you can get to  
Hogsmeade. From there it's not too far for you to walk to Hogwarts."  
  
Hogwarts had been settled on as the final destination as it was  
there Spike's friend had lived and hopefully still lived. If not,  
the headmaster would most likely offer his help to Spike and Xander.  
  
"Time difference has been taken into account and it will be night  
when you reach Diagon Alley. As it is winter, the sun won't rise, as  
early as here and according to Dawn's calculations you'll reach  
Hogwarts around breakfast time. OK?"  
  
Spike nodded seriously. Excitement was a hard ball in his stomach  
and his mind seemed to be running in a loop. //I'm going to see Sev  
again, I'm going to see Sev again, I'm *really* going to see Sev  
again.//  
  
"You ready?"  
  
Again Spike nodded. He shouldered the baby bag, adjusted his hold on  
the baby and grabbed the lighter Anya offered him. With a grin he  
lit it, felt a pull around his navel and then he was gone, leaving  
behind four crying girls and a very distressed ex-Watcher. Willow  
turned to her girlfriend for comfort while Giles did his best to  
comfort Buffy and Dawn. They all hoped Xander would be OK.  
  
With a whispered 'Good bye Xander', Anya flashed out too. She needed  
to be somewhere quiet; having a broken heart was still painful.  
  
end 5 


	6. Again with explanations

Part 6 : Again with explanations.  
  
It was a tired and frustrated vampire who reached the grounds of  
Hogwarts. Travelling by magical means always took a lot out of him  
and left him feeling ill and disoriented. Having to walk the last  
distance through snow with a heavy baby bag and a baby didn't help  
much either. Xander hadn't been too happy with the portkey either;  
the boy had started making unhappy noises which became whining when  
they'd stepped out of the fireplace made available for their  
arrival. During the walk the baby had started squirming and Spike  
suspected Xander was cold and that a diaper change was needed.  
  
But now they were finally at their destination. He had been worried  
about the wards but there had no trouble with them, so he guessed  
that they were either still keyed to him or they weren't supposed to  
keep out vampires. He hoped for the former because that could mean  
that Severus had hoped he would return. Spike felt strangely giddy  
inside thinking that.  
  
Entering the castle Spike went straight for the dungeons wanting to  
find Severus as soon as possible. Xander was squirming in his arms,  
and Spike suspected the baby would start crying any minute now.  
Without thinking about it Spike went into game face and playfully  
growled at the baby. Xander went still and blinked at the vampire  
who growled again. Xander blinked again and then giggled. Spike  
growled again and received yet another giggle. The vampire found it  
odd that Xander who had expressed his hatred of vampires several  
times in the past now appeared to be entertained and calmed by the  
appearance of Spike's game face. The vampire suspected he should be  
offended by this but found he couldn't be bothered as it came in  
real handy at times like this.  
  
Being busy with distracting Xander from his discomfort Spike failed  
to notice the two boys hidden inside a niche in the dark corridor.  
  
**  
  
Harry was busy sucking on Ron's tongue when he heard a growl. He  
reluctantly tore himself away from red-haired boy.  
  
"Did you hear that?" he whispered.  
  
"Hear what?" Ron replied while trying to catch Harry's mouth again.  
  
"That growl…" He stopped hearing soft footsteps too now.  
  
"Didn't hear a thing." Not succeeding in capturing Harry's mouth Ron  
went on kissing the other boy's jaw.  
  
"Ssh.. There it is again."  
  
This time Ron heard it too. Both boys peered carefully out from the  
niche they'd hidden themselves in for an early morning make-out  
session. Their eyes widened comically when they saw a vampire  
walking down the corridor with a baby in his arms.  
  
"What is a vampire doing here?" Harry wondered out loud.  
  
"Never mind that." Ron whispered hurriedly. "We need to save the  
baby from that.. that *evil* creature!"  
  
"But we don't know if he's evil, and the baby doesn't think it's in  
any danger. It's giggling."  
  
"*All* vampires are evil Harry. Everyone knows that." Ron said  
exasperated. "You stun the vampire and I stop the baby from falling.  
OK?"  
  
"OK." Harry agreed a bit reluctantly.  
  
Both pulled out their wands and pointed them at the vampire. "Ready?  
OK, on three. One, two, three."  
  
At Harry's shout the vampire dropped the baby, who floated in the  
air while the vampire fell to the floor. The baby started wailing as  
soon as it reached the floor after it's slow descent and it was a  
sound both boys were sure could be heard all over the castle.  
Worried they looked at each other, wondering what to do next.  
  
The angry shout of "Potter! Weasley!" made them both jump.  
  
**  
  
Snape was making his way up from the dungeons together with Draco  
when he heard the wail. Looking at Draco he started running towards  
the sound. He was not very surprised upon seeing Potter and Weasley  
when he turned the corner; he was however surprised to see a vaguely  
familiar figure lying on the corridor floor next to a wailing baby.  
  
"Potter! Weasley!" He shouted angrily as he made his way towards the  
figure on the floor. Crouching down next to it he turned it over and  
his jaw dropped when he saw whom it was.  
  
"William." He breathed. Carefully he ran a finger over those amazing  
cheekbones, not quite believing what he saw. He forgot all about the  
two Gryffindors until Draco uttered a "Sir?" Snapping out of it, he  
composed himself and got up to face Potter and Weasley.  
  
Telling Draco to pick the baby off the floor he turned to glare at  
the two boys who were now shuffling nervously next to each other.  
  
"Please explain." He sneered.  
  
"Uh..We .. " Harry started hesitantly and was cut off by Ron who  
confidently stated: "We saved a baby from a vampire."  
  
"Oh you did, did you? Might I ask why you felt the baby needed  
rescuing?"  
  
Both boys blinked.  
  
"The vampire was going to eat it Sir. It was growling and all." Ron  
said still sure that this time they'd done the right thing.  
  
"I see. The vampire having made plans to eat a baby decides to sneak  
past the Hogwarts wards so he can eat the baby while walking down a  
corridor. It makes perfect sense." Snape drawled sarcastically.  
  
Both boys blinked again.  
  
Worried about William and wondering why the vampire had come back  
with a baby, Snape decided he didn't have the patience to deal with  
the two Gryffindors right now and dismissed them with a 'We'll deal  
with this later.' They hurried to get out of his way. Turning around  
he saw a confused Draco cuddling the baby whom had gone quiet as  
soon as someone picked it up.  
  
"Draco, please take the baby to infirmary so madam Pomfrey can have  
a look at it, I will take care of the vampire."  
  
The blond boy nodded and Snape bent and effortlessly picked up the  
unconscious vampire and started walking towards his own chambers. He  
had a vampire to wake up and questions that needed answering.  
  
When he reached his chambers he placed William on a couch and  
produced his wand so he could wake the vampire up. He wasn't what  
he'd expected to happen when he woke the vampire up, but it  
certainly wasn't the panicked creature that jumped off the couch and  
frantically called for a Xander.  
  
He found it odd.  
  
He saw William tense when the vampire noticed there was someone else  
in the room. William jumped around to face him, obviously ready to  
fight. Upon recognising the figure he relaxed slightly.  
  
"Where's Xander?" The vampire demanded.  
  
Snape just looked at him blankly.  
  
"The baby Severus, where is he?" William clarified.  
  
"The baby is with Mr. Malfoy and madam Pomfrey in the infirmary,  
he's perfectly safe."  
  
The statement brought relief to the slightly panicked vampire who  
fell back on the couch and muttered something that sounded like  
'Bloody whelp, making me care and scaring me like that.'  
  
Realising that William wasn't going to offer an explanation on his  
own, Severus decided to ask for one.  
  
"Might I ask what brings to Hogwarts with a baby?"  
  
He had a few seconds to contemplate the grin that appeared on the  
vampire's face before he found himself sitting on the couch with  
William on his lap.  
  
"You may most certainly ask." The vampire said before he claimed the  
Potions master's lips in a kiss. All questions were forgotten while  
they reacquainted with each other.  
  
**  
  
"This had better be important." Madam Pomfrey said as she opened the  
door. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw Draco Malfoy  
standing there with a very unhappy baby in his arms. When Draco just  
continued to stand there she opened the door wider and ushered them  
in.  
  
"Well come in Mr. Malfoy and tell me why you're here this early with  
a baby?"  
  
"Uhm.. " Draco started, unsure of what to say. "We found him in the  
dungeons. Professor Snape said I should bring him to you."  
  
"Found?"  
  
"A vampire had him. Potter and Weasley stunned the vampire.  
Professor Snape looked like he was going to skin them alive."  
  
"Oh. Did the professor mention a name for this vampire?"  
  
Draco frowned as he thought back. A name? Yes, professor Snape had  
said a name when he saw the vampire. "William."  
  
"Ah, *William*." Madam Pomfrey said as if that name explained  
everything. She ignored the curious glance from Draco and put her  
arms out for the baby.  
  
"Well let's have a look at this little creature then." The baby had  
been whining softly the whole time and she suspected that he was  
just hungry and probably in desperate need of a diaper change but  
she did a quick medical scan just to be sure. It came out perfectly  
fine.  
  
"You're just wet and hungry aren't you?"  
  
She put him on a high table and started to undress him. The  
infirmary wasn't equipped for a baby, but she figured she should be  
able to improvise.  
  
"There was a bag." Draco said suddenly.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"With the baby. A bag. I have it here." The blond boy held up a bag.  
Madam Pomfrey smiled; it looked like she wouldn't need to improvise.  
  
"Good. Give it here."  
  
The bag contained everything a baby bag should contain and she gave  
Draco instructions to get a bottle ready while she dug out a diaper.  
The baby stopped whining when she removed the wet diaper and when  
she gently cleaned him with napkins she'd found in the bag, she  
received a brilliant smile. Smiling back she put on a new diaper and  
put the clothes back on.  
  
"There, all better."  
  
Picking the baby up she turned towards Draco who now had the bottle  
ready in his hand. Telling him to sit down in an armchair she  
carefully placed the baby in Draco's arms and told him to feed the  
baby while she went looking for Snape. An explanation was wanted.  
  
Draco accepted the baby and opened his mouth to tell the medi-witch  
that he wasn't a baby sitter, he was Draco Malfoy and this treatment  
of him was unacceptable. He didn't get a chance; madam Pomfrey was  
already closing the door behind her. The baby made a noise and  
wiggled in his arms. With a sigh Draco resigned himself to the task  
of baby-sitting and offered the bottle to the baby who latched on to  
the nipple and began suckling.  
  
**  
  
The door being opened and closed as someone stepped into the room  
vaguely registered in the back of Spike's mind but he couldn't be  
bothered. He was quite happy where he was sitting on Severus' lap,  
sucking on the Potions master's very talented tongue. He was not  
going to move any time soon. Someone grabbing his ear and trying to  
drag him off the lap made him change his mind.  
  
"Ow! Lemme go Poppy." He whined when he'd untangled himself. Severus  
stayed seated on the couch looking slightly dazed.  
  
"I will let you go and get back to what you were doing as soon as I  
get an explanation of why you've returned with a baby. I suspect  
Severus would like to know as well."  
  
"Oh.. Right. I was just getting to that."  
  
Poppy just looked at him before letting go of his ear and turning to  
slap Severus out of his daze. Spike was sure she was the only one  
who could get away with something like that.  
  
The Potions master blinked at the two figures standing before him  
and brought his hand up to cradle the cheek, which was now sporting  
a nice pink handprint. He tried to glare at the medi-witch but she  
pointedly ignored him.  
  
"I believe William has something to say." She said and made her  
comfortable in one of the large armchairs. Spike took the other one  
and prepared himself to tell them about the potions mishap that had  
brought him to Hogwarts again.  
  
"Well it's like this: the baby, Xander… How is he by the way?"  
  
"He's perfectly fine. Mr. Malfoy is feeding him and will be looking  
after him."  
  
"Good, good. So anyway, Xander has a friend who is very fond of  
playing with magic. She's one of those muggles who's managed to tap  
into the magic hidden within them, but as this is very difficult she  
does quite a bit of damage sometimes."  
  
Witch and wizard nodded knowingly at this. Spike continued.  
  
"When I left all those years ago I took a potions book with me. She  
somehow found this and decided to experiment. And we ended up with  
Xander as a baby. His true age is actually 19."  
  
Witch and wizard blinked.  
  
"No one knew that he was a wizard before this happened. There was  
always an off feeling about him though. That feeling went away as  
soon as he was turned into an infant and he felt like a wizard.  
Anya, Xander's girlfriend, sensed it too. According to her something  
must have happened that made Xander hide his magic and forget about  
it. She was also the one who sent us here after she realised that  
even if a way to fix this mess was found, Xander wouldn't be *her*  
Xander anymore and that he really would be better off in the  
wizarding world. And here we are." Spike decided not to mention  
anything about Xander's parentage just yet. He wasn't sure; he  
needed to confirm his suspicions before he told someone.  
  
"Exactly how was this Anya able to send you to the wizarding world?"  
Severus, still paranoid. Spike had to smile.  
  
"Anya would be better known as Anyanka, vengeance demon. She was  
turned into a human because of a wish gone wrong, but her boss  
promised she'd get her powers back if her heart got broken or when  
she died. The realisation that she'd lost Xander broke her heart and  
she regained her power and was able to send us here."  
  
Witch and wizard gaped.  
  
"I see you've heard of Anyanka?"  
  
Nod.  
  
"Well, can you fix it or not?" He asked the Potions master. Spike  
was bored with this explanation business now. He wanted to know if  
Xander was fixable, if not how long would take for him grow up, he  
wanted to see the baby now, being separated from Xander for this  
long made Spike anxious (which was something he'd never admit to if  
asked), and he wanted to shag Severus.  
  
Snape frowned and looked at Poppy who just shrugged, she didn't have  
any answers, potions were his area of expertise.  
  
"I will need to know exactly which potion was used and so on."  
  
"Not a problem. Brought the book with me along with a note  
describing what they think went wrong."  
  
"Good." Severus replied distractedly, he was mentally going through  
a list of potions that could have had this effect.  
  
"Let's go fetch these items and see how Draco and Xander are doing."  
Poppy said and got up to leave. Spike followed immediately.  
  
"Come along Severus, you'll need to speak with the headmaster about  
this too."  
  
Severus didn't reply, but got up and together the three of them  
headed to the infirmary. Where they found a slightly confused  
headmaster. His gaze was firmly placed on the blond boy sleeping in  
a large armchair with a baby, also sleeping, cradled against his  
chest.  
  
"I am having doubts about my eyes." Dumbledore said. "Am I really  
seeing Draco Malfoy sitting in that chair sleeping with a baby in  
his arms?"  
  
Poppy patted the old man on his arm. "Your eyes are just fine Albus.  
William is back and has brought a baby with him. Severus will tell  
you all about it." With that she took the book Spike had dug out the  
bag, gave it to Severus and ushered a distracted Potions master and  
a confused headmaster out of the room.  
  
"Wake Draco up William, he need to be in the Great Hall for some  
breakfast before his classes. You can take the baby and lie down to  
get some sleep. I will go and have breakfast myself."  
  
Spike nodded and did as he was told. A sleepy, confused Draco handed  
Spike the baby without a word and went together with Poppy to the  
Great Hall. Spike almost fell into the nearest bed, and with Xander  
settled on his chest he fell asleep.  
  
**  
  
  
end 6  
  
  
TBC 


	7. Congratulations

Part 7: Congratulations  
  
  
  
  
  
It was a somewhat grumpy Potions master that made his towards the  
hospital wing later that afternoon. The headmaster had once again  
denied him the pleasure of punishing two of the most annoying  
Gryffindors; stating that "boys will be boys" and "they thought they  
were protecting a baby" and his suspicions about there being nothing  
do about the youth potion gone wrong, had been confirmed. There was  
an antidote but it had a time limit of 48 hours. After 48 hours it  
would not work and one would just to wait until the youth potion  
wore off, which could take some time. Snape sighed to himself; he  
hoped William would decide to stay at Hogwarts with the baby while  
waiting for the potion to wear off. Perhaps they could get  
reacquainted.  
  
The sound of delighted giggling derailed that train of thought and  
he stopped just inside the entrance and looked around curiously.  
Madam Pomfrey was sitting at her desk, reading very intently,  
William was sleeping in one of the beds and the baby, the source of  
the delighted giggling, was sitting on the floor. He was waving his  
tiny hands around trying to catch a feather that was floating in  
front of him.  
  
Snape blinked, then took a second to glance at madam Pomfrey who was  
still intently reading, before he looked at the baby again. It could  
be a charm that made the feather float like that, it was not  
uncommon for wizard parents to charm their children's toys; though  
there was something about the way that feather moved. It moved like  
it was the baby that was controlling the floating. Snape looked at  
madam Pomfrey again and met the matron's amused eyes. And then like  
she knew what he was thinking, she nodded and Snape could feel his  
jaw drop to the floor.  
  
Madam Pomfrey felt like giggling, but managed to hold it in. The  
look of utter surprise on Snape's face! She knew she wouldn't be way  
off if she guessed that very few, if any at all, had seen the stone-  
faced potions master look like that. She almost felt privileged and  
wondered how he would react to her other news. Glancing at Xander  
she saw that he'd stopped his feather game and was now stretching  
his arms towards Snape with an expectant look in his eyes. The  
matron predicted large amounts of amusement in the future.  
  
"Do close your mouth Severus, and sit down. Also you might want to  
pick up Xander."  
  
The snap of the jaw closing was almost audible. Snape looked at her,  
the child and then back at her.  
  
"Yes Severus, pick up the child and sit."  
  
When Snape still hesitated she prompted him. "Now Severus."  
  
She watched amused as he stiffly picked up Xander and sat down in  
the chair in front of her desk. Xander himself had a large smile on  
his face and seemed utterly delighted by the turn of events. The  
little child made himself comfortable in Snape's lap and looked at  
madam Pomfrey as if he was waiting for what she was going to say.  
And he probably was she thought to herself.  
  
"Now first, did you find a quick solution to Xander's little mishap?  
"  
  
Snape shook his head.  
  
"Ah yes, I suspected as much. Well then, he will just have to grow  
up as the potion wears off. Am I right?"  
  
Nod.  
  
The fact that Snape, a man that always had something to say, still  
hadn't spoken a word, made her halt for a moment. If he reacted this  
strongly just to the information he'd already received; how would he  
react to everything else she had to say. Perhaps if she were lucky,  
she'd be able to see him faint. *That* would be a sight. She almost  
giggled again.  
  
"First I wanted to talk about William. As you've surely noticed,  
he's sleeping. Even if there are no other outer signs than his  
thinness, he's in a poor shape. I believe he hasn't been feeding  
properly for a very long time. I did ask him about it, but he  
refused to answer and he also refused my offer of blood. I still  
forced some in him and put him in a healing sleep. He should be  
better once he wakes up, but you should still talk to him about why  
he hasn't been feeding and why he would refuse an offer of my blood.  
The old William would have jumped at the offer."  
  
Again a nod.  
  
Madam Pomfrey thought about commenting about Snape's speechless  
state, but refrained as she felt what she was going to say next, was  
more important.  
  
"And then there's little Xander here."  
  
Both looked at the boy in question who had cuddled further into the  
potion master's lap and was looking at them curiously.  
  
"I'm sure you think you've figured out part of who he can be, but.."  
  
"But? There aren't all that many options. As far as I know there are  
only four wizarding families in Britain whom has the ability to do  
wandless magic this young and without training and enormous effort."  
  
Of course he would regain his ability to speak just to interrupt  
her. Sending him a glare, which had no effect on him, she continued.  
  
"Yes Severus, that is right. Four families in Britain; Dumbledore,  
Malfoy, Snape and LaVelle. And little Xander here does not only  
belong to one of them, he belongs to two."  
  
Blink.  
  
"When I was checking him for injuries, I also did a paternity spell.  
I must say I was quite shocked to learn who his father is. Honestly  
that would have been my last guess."  
  
"Just spit it out woman."  
  
Snape, who by now was very annoyed, almost shouted. The urge to  
giggle surfaced again and madam Pomfrey felt deliciously evil.  
  
"Congratulations Severus, you have a beautiful baby boy."  
  
  
  
TBC 


End file.
